East Kootenay Chamber of Mines Welcomes You

With the February 9, 2010 throne speech and its announcement of...

A new partnership with Montana (that) will sustain the environmental values in the Flathead River Basin in a manner consistent with current forestry, recreation, guide outfitting and trapping uses. It will identify permissible land uses and establish new collaborative approaches to trans-boundary issues. Mining, oil and gas development and coalbed gas extraction will not be permitted in British Columbia’s Flathead Valley.

…the B.C. Government threw away years of land planning and public process. The State of Montana’s interest at least can be viewed as self interest. Governor Schweitzer has proudly proclaimed “Montana is the Saudi Arabia of coal”. The State has no sales tax, is consistently rated as a pro business state and is very proactive in trying to attract new coal mining opportunities to the state.

Just as important to British Columbians is the loss of due process, certainty to the mining industry which is the largest private employer in the East Kootenay region. How do we attract industry to the Kootenays where the B.C. Government ignores its own land plans and processes? The Flathead was already well protected by the B.C. environmental assessment process, Federal environmental assessment process and an International Joint Commission review.

While at first this ruling appears to only affect the mining and energy sectors, it in reality touches all British Columbians. The Flathead contains the potential of billions of dollars in resource values which translate to hundreds of potential jobs and millions of tax dollars lost to the province. This in a province that has cut programs and services across the board.

The Province of B.C. has managed the Flathead for 100 year’s and while facing many challenges one needs only to look at the Flathead today to see how we care for it. The East Kootenay Chamber of Mines believes this is the wrong decision for the people of B.C. and Canada.